You can be Redeemed
by Yami Gir
Summary: Second part to Please don't Cry. "Why are you like this? Did you not hear me? Why are you like this brother? You told me you don't believe that you're the reason for Astral's death anymore. If that is really true why are you shutting yourself away from me!"


**A/N **Okay, this is what you could call the second half to Please don't Cry. (If you haven't read the first part, it would be wise to do so if you haven't but therwise what's the reason for reading the second part.) There's more conversation between Zexal I and Zexal II and more into what happens in that period of time where Yuma's trying to get to Astral World.

* * *

Second sat with his back against the wall and looked at Zexal. He couldn't help but sigh. If he was correct it had been about four days since their arrival in the Astral World. He brought his knees to his chest and continued to stare at his brother. He seemed almost as though he didn't care about where they were. Maybe that was something he got from Yuma. Carefree, happy, somewhat naive. Zexal glanced over at him and started walking over.

"Are you okay?" He asked with concern. He sat on his knees in front of him. Second shook his head.

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me." He said, not looking at him. Zexal looked at him and pursed his lips.

"Come on. Please don't be sad still." He said moving closer. Second pushed himself further into the wall.

"Here," Zexal said happily. "Look at this." Second glanced at him.

Putting his hands together Zexal conjured up a ball of light. Suddenly it popped and in his arms sat Baby Tiragon. He smiled and held it up to Seconds face.

"Heheh, see look! Isn't he cute?" Zexal asked in a high pitched tone. Second couldn't help but smile at his antics.

"Yes, he's cute." He said petting Baby Tiragon's head. It purred in Zexals arms and smiled at the attention.

"See brother. You don't always have to be sad, even in here." He said, cuddling the cat-like monster. Second face fell at the thought.

"Yeah, sure." He said becoming distraught again. He got up and started walking away.

"Wait, Second, please don't go." Zexal pleaded. He didn't respond. The key was dead silent.

"Why are you like this?" Zexal finally said. Second turn turned and stared at him.

"Did you not hear me? Why are you like this brother? You told me you don't believe that you're the reason for Astral's death anymore." He stopped for a second to let everything register. "If that is really true why are you shutting yourself away from me!" He screamed. His words echoed through the empty key. Second remained still, not answering anything. Zexal shook his head and slowly walked to him.

"Don't leave. Stay with me." He said hugging Second around his waist. "I-i just want you to act like you where before. I want my brother back." He said quietly. Tears slowly started to form in his eyes but he kept his face hidden not wanting to have Second worry about him.

Second was taken back a little. He couldn't believe that Zexal actually cared about him like this. Maybe...maybe he was right. He had left him alone for hours on end only to come back and find him sleeping, but he still didn't understand how he wasn't hated by him.

"You really think that?" Zexal nodded. "But why? I'm the reason we're here. My weakness killed Astral." He. Zexal shook his head.

"No no. That's not true. You're not the reason. Astral was the one who sacrificed himself. Not you."

"How do you know that?" Second asked.

"Because of Yuma. Everyday, while you're gone, I feel his sadness. Everyday he remembers what happened to Astral...and I have to watch it." He started crying openly and Second could help but feel pity for him.

"And everyday...when I'm forced to watch that. You're gone. And I'm left alone. It hurts brother, it hurts!" he sobbed. "You're not the only one affected by this! Yuma is! And so am I because of our connection!" Second was shocked. He never consider that. He always thought Yuma was fine and he never considered his brothers feelings. He felt awful.

"Zexal..." Second started but stopped when he shook his head.

"Please don't say anything...Just stay with me...That's all I want." He said with his head hanging low. Second looked at him and nodded.

"Alright, I'll stay..." Zexal hugged him tightly catching him off guard.

"Thank you..." he whispered.

* * *

They sat together leaning against a wall. At first they were quite but slowly Zexal started talking.

"You know what?" He said out loud as he played with Baby Tiragon. Second looked at him.

"What?" He responded.

"Well, for the past few days I noticed something." Second remained silent. "Well, you see I've been going by the Numbers wall. And you see sometimes they'll light up. Like someones using them." Second nodded.

"That would make sense. Yuma has been entrusted with the numbers."

"Yeah, I know…but its been weird. He's been using numbers he hasn't used before."

"Really? Like what?"

"Let me think. Number 8, 88, 14...You know, numbers that he got along time ago."

"I see why you think that's weird. Hmmm, who knows, maybe that's how he's getting over his loss."

"I guess, but he's been using them a lot. Like every day. I'm wondering what's going on with him." Zexal said. Second shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess it's nothing." He leaned back. "Oh hey, I have something I want you to try." He placed his hands together and concentrated. Slowly a ball started to form. He continued to more his hands over it as it grew and finally it dropped in his hand.

"Here try this." Zexal said putting it in Second's face. He looked it over and the glanced at his brother.

"What is it exactly?"

"It called a rice ball. It's really good!" He said happily. Second looked it over once and then took a small bit out of it. He smiled a little as he chewed.

"Heh, you're right. It is good." Zexal clapped his hands together happily and made one for himself. They ate in silence.

* * *

The day wore on and eventually it was night, or what could be considered night. Zexal yawned and Second dozed off several times only to shake himself awake every time. He looked at Zexal as he yawned again.

"If you're tired go to sleep." Second said. Zexal looked at him with drowsy eyes.

"I guess you're-" he yawned again. "right..." Slowly he started to take off his armor.

"Brother, please stay with me tonight." He asked as he pulled off his boots. Second looked at him and sighed.

"Alright."

"The whole night." Zexal said without missing a beat. His brother nodded.

"I promise." He said as he followed in suit and started taking his chest plate.

* * *

_'Blackmist stood on the other side of the field._

_"H-how could I lose!? It's impossible, impossible!" Zexal II kneeled across from him._

_'Yuma, are you able to move?'_

_"Yeah, I'm fine." Zexal II said in Yuma's voice. Slowly here rose to his feet._

_"No! I can't lose! I won't lose!" Blackmist stared harshly at Zexal II. "Hahahaha! It's your end Astral!" He yelled. Slowly his body started to turn into black smoke. Second watched in horror as he saw those horrid black energy daggers flew at him. He wanted to move but he couldn't. He was stuck. The bonds that held his form together were being pulled apart._

_'No! Don't!' He tried to plead but his mouth wouldn't move. The last thing he saw was a blinding red light, and the nothing._

* * *

"ASTRAL!" Second screamed as he jutted out of his nightmare. He looked around frantically unsure of where he was. The key was dark and it took a few seconds for him to realize where he was. His breathing was fast and shallow. He place a hand on his chest and felt his heart beat rapidly underneath it. He glanced around and found Zexal curl up not far from him. He reached out to wake him, but stopped.

'No it's not right to wake him for something like this.' He thought as he retracted his hand. He laid back down and rolled on to his side. He shuttered.

'That was far too real to be just a dream.' The image of the black daggers haunting him when ever he closed his eyes.

Behind him he heard a scuffling noise. Guessing it was just his brother he tried to ignore it. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. He rolled on to his back and found Zexal looking at him with tired eyes.

"Are you okay." He asked. He quickly yawned before looking back at him.

"I'm just fine." Second said quickly.

"You screamed. Did you have a nightmare?" Second remained silent.

"Was it about Astral?" He asked rubbing his eyes.

"Yes."

"I see." Zexal crawled over to him and laid down in the crook of his arm. "There's no need to worry brother...It can't hurt you...you just have to remember that it's not your fault..." he went quiet and Second figured he had fallen back to sleep.

"I also should let you know...Yuma's in Astral world..." He fell back to sleep curled up next to Second.

* * *

Eventually Second did fall back to sleep because the next time he opened his eyes the key was filled with light. He felt next him to see if Zexal was still there. He wasn't. Quickly, he put his armor back on and went looking for him.

"Hey hey, shhhh, I don't want him waking up." Second heard. Rounding a corner he found Zexal standing over a table with Baby Tiragon and Needle Swordsman at his feet.

"Brother, what is all of this?" Zexal jumped in surprise.

"Second, I didn't think you were awake." He said as he looked down at the monsters at his feet. They quickly ran under the table.

"I just woke up. Now can you tell me what this is?" Zexal sighed in defeat.

"This is call breakfast." He said, looking down at his hands. "I thought it would be nice to try it and as a way to say thank you for staying with me last night." Second smiled.

"You didn't have to do that." He walked up to the table. "It must have took a lot of energy to do this." Zexal nodded.

"Yeah, and a lot of concentration. But I still managed it!" He said triumphantly. He sat down and Second took the place across from him.

The meal wasn't really much, there only being rice balls and tea but it was still good considering everything had been made from thin air.

As they ate, two faces appeared from under the table. Zexal smiled and held out two rice balls.

"Hehe, It's okay guys. I didn't mean to act like that before, I just though we messed up." Carefully Baby Tiragon and Needle Swordsman emerged from under the table. They each grabbed a rice ball from Zexal's hand and sat next to him while eating happily.

Second looked at the two monsters curiously.

"So, those are both some of Yuma's monsters?" He asked. Zexal nodded.

"Yep! They were the first I met whe-" he stopped mid sentence and seemed to stare into no where.

"Brother, what's wrong." Second asked in concern. Zexal continued to stare.

"I-it's Yuma...he's dueling...here...in Astral World..." he seemed to tremble as he spoke.

"Here!? That means he made it! He came to get Astral!" Second exclaimed.

"No,..he's losing...he's tired and his spirits are falling..."

"Then we have to help,"

"No, we can't leave. Eliphas is holding us here." A screen came up before them out of no where. On its screen Yuma and Eliphas dueled. Zexal was right about him. He seemed drained, both physically and mentally. And all they could do was watch. Their meal was forgotten and even the two little monsters that had join them watch the screen as intensely as the two Zexals did.

The duel went on for what felt like hours, but if that was true or not no one could tell. Eliphas was brutal to Yuma, knocking his life points down to only a few hundred after a few turns. But Yuma was still fighting. Zexal looked at Second.

"Do you think he'll win?"

"Of course he will." Second said with confidence. Zexal smiled and looked back at the screen. Finally, that confidence his brother held not long ago was back. He couldn't help himself. He jumped up from his sat and started cheering.

"GO YUMA! YOU CAN BEAT HIM!" he yelled at the screen. Baby Tiragon followed in suit and climbed on to the and started pumping his fists into the air along with Needle Swordsman who waved his sword above his head. Second watched their cheering and laughed. Zexal looked at him confused. He was, laughing?

Slowly he rose from his spot.

"You can do it Yuma! We all believe in you!" Second cheered. Everyone else cheered on the young duelist.

* * *

It was a long battle, but he won. Against all odds Yuma beat Eliphas. Inside the key, it's inhabitants were celebrating.

Zexal tackled Second.

"He won! He won brother! He won! Astral's alive now!" He said happily. Second smiled and playfully pushed him away.

"Yes brother. I saw. Maybe now we can leave." He said out loud. He looked at the screen saw Astral and Yuma together.

"Come on. Let see if we can leave." He grabbed his hand and they disappeared.

They both reemerged outside the key. They could tell that Yuma and Astral were talking but nothing could be heard clearly.

"Hey Second," Zexal whispered.

"What is it?"

"We're clear." Second was lost but soon figured out what he meant when he looked at his hand and saw that it was translucent.

"Must be due to the fact that Yuma's here now." Zexal shrugged.

"I don't know. I just thought it was cool." Second shook his head.

Yuma and Astral continued to talk when suddenly Yuma jumped into the air and hugged him.

"You jerk," he said, his voice raspy due to him trying not to cry. "Never leave me again Astral." He whispered and tears started to run down his cheeks. Astral didn't say a thing. All he did was wrap his arms around the young duelist.

Zexal watched happily at the scene.

"I told you brother. You never needed to worry." Second nodded in content.

Yuma heard something and looked at them. Both Zexals backed up nervously, unsure if he could see them or not. He gave them a small smile. Zexal smiled back and gave him a thumbs up.

'_Good job, Yuma.' _He mouthed.

'_Thank you.'_

* * *

Their reunion didn't last long. Eliphas demanded that Yuma and Astral follow him to the balcony located far from the chamber they were in. Yuma left with him right away but Astral stayed back. He floated over to Zexal and Second and they bowed to him. He smiled.

"You two have been though a lot for these past to days, haven't you?" Both gave a quick nod. He looked at Second.

"Especially you." Second hung his head to avoid his eyes.

"Yes."

"I heard everything you said. Do you really believe that you were the cause to my death?"

"I do. I should have protected you. I should have moved, but I was too weak…." Astral put a hand on his shoulder.

"I chose to do that. I gave my life to help Yuma. I didn't think of what repercussion it could have on you." Second looked at him.

"You did that on purpose?"

"I did." Yuma called from down the hall.

"Astral! Come here, quickly!" he shouted. Astral looked once more at them and flew out of the room.

'_I was never at fault…What everyone said was true…I did my job…and protected Yuma.'_


End file.
